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Politics & Government

La Grange Park Raises Fee for Ambulance Service

Residents should not though be hit too hard, says head of fire department.

La Grange Park trustees May 22 unanimously raised the  fee charged to those using a Fire Department ambulance  - to help balance income and expenses that resulted in a shortfall of $189,000 in 2011.

The increase takes effect June 1.

But village residents with private insurance, Medicaid  or Medicare, “should not be affected too adversely,” said Dean Maggos, director of fire, building and emergency management.

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The village received $107,100 in an ambulance tax levy and $339,704.55 in ambulance use fees in 2011 for a total income of almost $446,805. The paramedic contract cost $486,805, and with equipment and ambulance maintenance; part-time wages; supplies: and other costs, the village spent $635,622. The balance was paid out of the village’s General Fund.

For La Grange Park residents, the fee for basic life support will increase to $500 from $400. The advanced life support fee of $500 for Level 1 and $550 for Level 2 will increase to $800 for all levels. Level  1 is ambulance transportation and medically necessary supplies and services. Level 2 adds at least three administrations of medications and one of seven procedures, including manual defibrillation, chest decompression and a surgical airway.

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Non-residents, such as those in a traffic accident, will be charged $800 for basic service, up from $500; and  $1,200 for all levels for advanced services, increased from $600 for Level 1 and $650 for Level 2.

A fee of $15 per mile for emergency medical transportation from the scene to the hospital will be charged to residents and non-residents. Each also would be charged $300 for advanced life support intervention without transportation.

The village manager also may waive all or part of the fee, on a case-by-case basis, if it is in the village’s best interest to do so, or the person billed cannot pay all or part of the fee.

About 89.5 percent of ambulance calls are for residents and 10.5 percent for non-residents, according to Maggos.

The increase in fees will generate only  a limited amount of revenue from  most of the patients who are transported, but staff members recommend the village do something to recover more of the costs. Village officials did not say how much more revenue is anticipated from the fees increase.

Staff members compared fees in other communities with those in La Grange Park.

Maggos said, “Our new rates should not be that far out of line with what would be covered  by private insurance companies and we cannot collect more from Medicaid or Medicare than what is allowed by law.”

The patient will not have to make up the difference between the bill and what Medicaid and Medicare will pay. “Medicaid and Medicare will not pay the full amount of what our new fees will be, and by law, we are not allowed to make patients pay the difference that is not covered by supplemental insurance,”  Maggos said.

Residents without insurance will pay about $130 more for basic life support and $280 additional for a call requiring advanced treatment.

Almost 22 percent of La Grange Park’s population consists of residents age 65 years or older; as such, 75 percent of residents using a village ambulance use Medicare or Medicaid as their primary insurance, Maggos said.

La Grange Park  has two ambulances, which are housed in Fire Station 1 adjacent to Village Hall,  447 N. Catherine Ave. Only one is staffed around the clock throughout the year with paramedic/firefighters in house. The second ambulance is used as a backup and staffed with on-call personnel as needed and when possible, he said.

While the Village Board vote was unanimous, Maggos said, “As you can imagine, most elected officials and village staff do not like to increase fees or taxes for village services. There is though a cost of providing services and it has to be paid for in some manner.”

 

 

 

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